


Folkchan Save the Day!

by BritHistorian



Category: Folkchan - Fandom, Huoshenshan Hospital Construction, Thomas the Tank Engine - All Media Types, coronavirus - Fandom
Genre: Construction, Gen, Hospitals, Pandemics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:28:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22515487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BritHistorian/pseuds/BritHistorian
Summary: Inspired by an article about the fan art people were making about the construction equipment building the Huoshenshan Hospital (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51315238) I decided to write a crossover with the world of Thomas the Tank Engine.When the Huoshenshan crew comes to Sodor to help build a new hospital, Thomas meets Folkchan and learns that someone small can still be important.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Folkchan Save the Day!

The coronavirus had come to the island of Sodor. People were getting sick all over the island. Everyone was either wearing a surgical mask or staying home. The hospital was full - they didn't have room for any more patients. 

"We need a new hospital, and quickly!" said Sir Topham Hatt. A site had been found for a new Sodor Hospital, but there were so few construction machines on the island, it would take them over a year to finish building, which was far too long.

Just then Sir Topham Hatt saw a story on the news about China, where a new hospital that had been built in Huoshenshan in under a week. "That's what we need!" said Sir Topham Hatt. He got on the phone and made arrangements for the construction crews from Huoshenshan to come to build the Sodor Hospital.

The day soon came when the ship carrying the construction crews from Huoshenshan arrived at the Brendam Docks. Because the roads from the docks to the hospital site weren't big enough for the largest construction equipment, it would have to be transported by train. James, Percy, and Thomas were dispatched to the port, where they were met by Sir Topham Hatt.

"Mpfpfpf mppffpf mpfppf mmmffffmm," said Sir Topham Hatt.

"What was that?" asked the Dock Manager.

Sir Topham Hatt remembered that he was wearing a surgical mask. He carefully pulled it down, so that he could speak more clearly. "I said James and Percy will pull the bigger pieces of equipment, while Thomas will take the smaller ones."

"I'm strong enough to bring the big equipment," Thomas grumbled. James and Percy laughed at him.

But there was no time for Thomas to complain - the construction vehicles were starting to roll off the ship. James's train was loaded with two cement mixers, The Cement King and Big White Rabbit, a truck, Brother Red Bull, and the diggers, Little Blue and Little Yellow. Percy was to bring the other two cement mixers, The White Roller and Song Huizong, and the two bulldozers, Yellow Boar and Brother Ox. 

"What kind of equipment will I be carrying?" Thomas wondered, still feeling grumbly about having to carry the smaller vehicles. Just then Thomas looked up and saw dozens of forklifts rolling off the ship.

The forklifts scrambled around the dockyards, glad to be off of the boat. They zipped up and down, played tag, and made a lot of noise. This annoyed Thomas, who wanted to be underway. One of the forklifts came up to Thomas and introduced itself. "Hello," it said, "we are Folkchan."

Thinking the forklift didn't speak very good English if he didn't know the difference between "we are" and "I am," Thomas asked "You're all Folkchan?" in a rather grumpy voice.

"Yes," said the forklift cheerfully. "We're all Folkchan. You can tell us apart by our numbers. I'm Folkchan 42."

Thomas pondered this for a second - he didn't think he'd like having to share a name with all the other engines in the shed. "I guess they do things differently in different places," he thought to himself. Taking a deep breath, he called out, loud enough to be heard over the frolicking forklifts "Okay Folkchan! Get on the cars so we can go to the hospital site!" He looked around in confusion when all the Folkchan just stood still looking at each other, instead of getting on the cars.

Folkchan 42 laughed. "I'm the only one of us who speaks English. Don't worry - I'll be your interpreter!" He got the other Folkchan's attention and called out "大家，坐上有轨电车!" ("Everyone, get on the railroad cars!")

So quickly that it startled Thomas, the forklifts formed a line and filed onto the cars. Folkchan 42 was the first in line, so that he'd be at the front of the first car and could talk to Thomas if there was any more translating to be done.

Once the Folkchan were all on Thomas's train, he left the dockyards headed for the hospital site. He hadn't gone far though, when he had to stop because Percy's train was stopped on the track.

"I wonder what's going on," said Thomas.

From the back of Percy's last car, Brother Ox called out to Folkchan "大白兔掉下来摔倒了有轨电车。 他站不起来!" 

"What did he say?" Thomas asked.

Folkchan 42 said "He said Big White Rabbit has fallen off the train and overturned the car he was riding in. Nobody knows what to do."

"And now all the trains are stuck," said Thomas. "Now we'll have to wait here until Sir Topham Hatt comes to find out why we didn't arrive at the hospital site."

But before they'd waited too very long, one of the Folkchan called out "我有个主意!" ("I have an idea!"). The Folkchan conferred among themselves briefly, then started getting down from the cars and started off beside the track on the way to James's train.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Thomas called out.

"There's a job to be done!" said Folkchan 42. "We don't have time to wait for an overseer to tell us what to do. We'll have to figure it out."

Looking ahead around a bend in the track, Thomas was able to see where Big White Rabbit had overturned one of James's cars. In a matter of minutes, all the Folkchan were there and were clustered around the car. Working together, they righted the car and put it back on the track. Then they helped Big White Rabbit get his front wheels on the car, then held the car steady while Big White Rabbit rolled on. All of the construction vehicles let out a big cheer.

Folkchan came back to where Thomas was waiting for them. Today James's cargo had been the problem. And Percy and his cargo had just sat and waited and hadn't been able to help. But the little Folkchan had worked together and solved the problem. "You did a great job," Thomas said to Folkchan 42."

"Just because we're little, doesn't mean we're not important," Folkchan 42 replied. 

From that day on, whenever Thomas would feel bad about being the smallest engine, he'd think about what Folkchan had done and remember that someone small could still be important.


End file.
